Shopping trolley theory - be honest!

[texasholden]

The theory is that if you return it you’re a good person and if you don’t then you’re a shit person.

Shopping Cart Theory suggests the ultimate way to test moral goodness is to see whether or not someone will do the “right” thing in the absence of accountability, consequence, or reward.

Have you ever not bothered?

I'm neither wound up or angry 😂🤗

Yes, I always take my trolley back and I absolutely do judge people who don’t, in the same way that I judge people who drop litter, or park their cars up on the pavement so people with wheelchairs or prams can’t squeeze past. All in the same category of lazy selfishness, as far as I’m concerned. And I’m including parents of screaming toddlers in that; I don’t think having a wailing sprog is an excuse to expect other people to tidy up after you.

The theory is rubbish.

I don't always take my trolley back. They have to employ a human to collect them, unlike at the tills where people have lost jobs to self service checkouts. I never leave them in a parking spot. There are several wide paths behind parking rows at my local supermarket. Wide enough for wheelchair users and trolleys to peacefully co exist. Although I usually park at the opposite end of the row the priority spaces anyway..

I've never not bothered. And I'm disabled so it physically hurts me to walk the extra metres.

It isn’t, though, because they don’t employ extra trolley people to do it. It just means the existing ones have to walk round the car park all the time as well as collecting the ones stacked in the bays.

Meg, judge away, no skin off my nose.

Meg?? Meh.

They don't have to employ extra people but they do have to keep somebody employed. Unlike at the tills.

Depends but less likely than before now since they removed the storage area in my local tesco (put some key place in instead) although I leave the trolley in an area where the kind man always smiles and takes my trolley. I have driven out of a supermarket (Aldi you hear that) when I saw trolleys which were stuck together which required me to unstick them...I hadn't the money or the time....

Crikey, this couldnt be a more lighthearted thread surely you can see that?

Why come in with such aggression?

Look at the Cart Narcs on YouTube. It's in America, a guy basically irritates people he sees not putting their trolley back. I'm sure he probably focuses mainly on the more entertaining encounters, but he does seem to face an awful lot of very entitled a**holes who don't return their trolleys.

I always return mine. It's not hard, even with a kid in tow. You push the kid in the trolley to the return place, or you leave kid in car for the 10s it takes to return it (assuming not too hot in the car!).

I put the trolley back, but I'm a shit person in general, so the theory is flawed 🤣

Having worked in housekeeping in the past, please don't strip your bed: it used to put us on guard straight away and the amount of time we'd spend gloving and aproning up in anticipation of poo or blood or worse negates the time saved.

Just turn the duvet down and pop a fiver on the bedside table.

Always return it and have been known to round up additional stray ones and return them too. Only once when I actually saw it abandoned and the woman get in her car. Gave her a loud "Don't worry, I'll just do the decent thing for you". She did have the grace to look a tad embarrassed.

Even if you take your trolley back to the shelter they will have to be moved back to outside the supermarket at some point when the shelter is full so the argument that the collector has nothing to do if everyone takes them back doesn’t really hold water.

I always used to before having a child. Now I park in parent parking and the trolleys aren’t located nearby them. So it’s great when someone does leave their trolley near a parent space and I can use it! I leave mine near where I’ve parked but tucked in out of the way of passers by. When I am able to pop to the shops on my own I always return the trolley!

I'm not being aggressive though. What part of what I have said have you imagined is aggressive?

This👆

I’ve seen a TikTok video of a hotel cleaner who said it really helped her and saved time.

Also most airbnbs expect you to do it.

I did understand the question actually 🙄. I just thought it was odd to analyse trolley etiquette as to whether someone is a good or bad person.
Anyway, sometimes I don't put it back if it's tipping it down with rain, most of the time I do return it to its home. So maybe they makes me part monster, part angel.

I always leave it back. Rain, hail, shine, screaming baby, doddery parent - it goes back in its wee house🤣

There’s no point explaining it to you. Myself and someone else has pointed out how you’ve come across as aggressive/angry and you’re just being defensive so

Does it work in the same way as putting your tray back at McDonald's or a canteen?

Thanks for your contribution of “eh”

You're welcome 😀

Are we talking strewn across the car park or in the trolley bay?

because the former is a bit knobby.